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Eric Abetz yet to be convinced on climate change

TONY EASTLEY: Well Malcolm Turnbull's job doesn't get any easier and questions increase about whether the Senate will vote today on the ETS deal. Former frontbencher Eric Abetz says he offered his resignation with great regret.

He says he can't support the emissions trading deal, describing himself as a climate change agnostic rather than a sceptic. He's pushing for the Senate vote to be delayed. He's also begging Mr Turnbull for a compromise.

Senator Abetz, one of the Senate Opposition leader group, spoke to Alexandra Kirk a short time ago.

ERIC ABETZ: I think it makes overwhelming good sense to delay consideration of the legislation until after a further Senate inquiry and until after Copenhagen and there seems to be a lot of community support for that position.

ALEXANDRA KIRK: So would you and those who have taken themselves off the frontbench be happy if Malcolm Turnbull supported delaying a Senate vote until after Copenhagen? Is that what you want?

ERIC ABETZ: That was the compromise that many of us invited Mr Turnbull to accept but he flatly refused to, and can I simply dispel the argument that those that seek delay are somehow people that don't want any action on climate change.

The Greens support this position, Senator Xenophon supports this position and it makes eminently good sense irrespective of if you're a signed up believe or an absolute sceptic or a bit like me an agnostic in the middle, it makes eminent good sense to have this considered by a Senate committee.

ALEXANDRA KIRK: But Malcolm Turnbull's not one for backing down, and I understand even some of his closest allies are trying to convince him to step down as leader, that it's the only way to resolve the meltdown in the Liberal Party. Would it be in the best interest if he stood down?

ERIC ABETZ: That is for Malcolm Turnbull to determine. As I've said before I don't see this through the leadership prism.

ALEXANDRA KIRK: Except that Malcolm Turnbull made it a leadership didn't he when he said that he didn't want to lead a party that didn't have the same view or the same position on climate change and emissions trading?

ERIC ABETZ: And of course if that is his view then I would say to him that he's the leader of a party that, where everybody has a voice and the voice in the party room was not against action on climate change, the view was that we should be delaying until after Copenhagen and until after a Senate inquiry and that has overwhelming community support.

ALEXANDRA KIRK: Can you say that there's any way that you can see Malcolm Turnbull staying on as leader of the party?

ERIC ABETZ: Well Alex they used to say that a week was a long time in politics, I think we have to look at that again and say that a day is a long time in politics so we should be delaying action until after Copenhagen, after a Senate inquiry and what's more, I am heartened, I don't always follow the polls but a majority of Australians clearly believe that to be an eminently sensible course of action.

It was the compromise offered to Malcolm and I still beg him to accept that compromise.